News & Events

News & Events

Woman carrying bags of food down a snowy covered street

Food insecurity remains high in Spokane and statewide, UW-WSU survey shows

March 5, 2023 | The Spokesman-Review

Dr. Marie Spiker is quoted in this article which highlights the increasing costs of groceries and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program (SNAP), and the most recent data from the WAFOOD survey conducted by UW and WSU in December 2022 – January 2023.

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People lining up at NW Harvest food bank

Food insecurity persists in WA, just as emergency benefits expire

February 28, 2023 | Seattle Times

Story provides insight into the region’s looming hunger relief problems citing new data from the UW & WSU WAFOOD survey, and the concern that pandemic-era meal assistance benefits run out this week.

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Graphic illustration of a box of food

SNAP cuts lead to warning of “hunger cliff”

February 27, 2023 | AXIOS Seattle

Story highlighting how pandemic food aid is ending nationwide, and this change in the federal law means more than half a million households in Washington will lose a total of about $95 million a month in food assistance even as food and fuel costs remain high or increase. Data cited in the article was recently published by the UW & WSU WAFOOD survey.

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Photo of man shopping for produce in grocery store

Low-income Washington state households still struggling with food insecurity as pandemic protections end

February 23, 2023

Affording food is such a challenge in Washington state that residents who experience food insecurity say their grocery bills are their biggest source of financial stress, more so than paying for rent or utilities. That’s one of the findings of a food survey of Washington residents from December 2022 to January 2023, run by researchers...

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Photo of man stocking shelves at food bank

The pandemic is supposed to be over. Why is Pierce County food insecurity still so high?

February 23, 2023 | The News Tribune

Story highlights WAFOOD research published in 2023 which finds almost half of responding households reported experiencing food insecurity in the past month — with the highest occurrences among BIPOC respondents, households with children and renters. Meanwhile, the overall reliance on food assistance programs and food banks remained high.

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Spring 2023 courses

UW courses offered in nutrition, food systems, and health in spring 2023

February 8, 2023

Explore our undergraduate courses for spring 2023 which focus on a variety of interesting topics including nutrition, food systems, diets, culinary science, and individual and population health.  Registration opens on February 10, 2023.   2023 Nutritional Sciences Program Courses  Click title to view seat availability in My Plan. 

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UW graduate course explores sustainable food systems for population health

February 8, 2023

A course offered by the Nutritional Sciences Program in the University of Washington School of Public Health in spring 2023 will use food systems as a lens for viewing and understanding public health principles.  The course, NUTR 514 Sustainable Food Systems for Population Health, a 3-credit elective course, is now open for registration to all...

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Jennifer Otten

Nutritional Sciences faculty joins Washington State Food Policy Forum

January 10, 2023

Jennifer Otten, a faculty member and food systems scholar in the University of Washington School of Public Health will begin a new appointment in January 2023 as a member of the Washington State Food Policy Forum, a cross-sector group formed by the WA State Legislature in 2016 which makes recommendations for improving the food system...

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UW study abroad program explores sustainable food systems in Italy in summer 2023

January 5, 2023

The University of Washington Study Abroad program will offer a 4-week intensive course, La Dolce Vita: Comparative Food Systems in Italy in Summer Term-A in 2023. This interdisciplinary program explores sustainable food systems using systems thinking and a variety of perspectives to understand how factors, such as culture, policy, diet, and market structure interact to...

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Pia Chaparro

Dr. Pia Chaparro joins Nutritional Sciences Program core faculty

January 4, 2023

The University of Washington Nutritional Sciences Program is pleased to welcome Dr. Pia Chaparro as a new member of our core faculty and growing team of food systems experts in the UW School of Public Health. Chaparro, who began her new appointment of assistant professor in the UW Department of Health Systems and Population Health...

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